Stay positive about your topical treatment

Weighing up the benefits

THIS SITE HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO FOCUS PRIMARILY ON INFORMATION AND EDUCATION ADDRESSING TOPICAL PSORIASIS TREATMENTS

However positive you are, there may be times when your condition makes you feel stressed or upset. That’s when carefully keeping a strict treatment plan may be the last thing on your mind.

Dealing with side effects

If you’re experiencing side effects, no matter how mild, you may be wondering whether it’s worth sticking to your treatment regime. So how do you make the decision that’s right for you?

Try weighing up the potential benefits of your treatment against the drawbacks. Many people decide that the hope of easing their symptoms is worth the extra work.

Keep a record of your symptoms

To help you judge the benefits of your treatment objectively, you could try to record any small changes in the way your skin looks and feels. Keeping a diary of your symptoms, or even taking photographs of your plaques, might help you notice improvements that you otherwise would have missed.

Minimising the inconvenience

You may also want to consider ways to minimise the inconvenience. Some treatments are easier to manage than others, and you may want to discuss with your doctor if there are other options that can reduce the inconvenience.

For example, if you are bothered by the messiness of your topical treatment you may be able to get a new formulation that is easier to apply and not as messy.

When you are thinking about treatment for your psoriasis, you may want to take the same approach. Try weighing up the potential benefits of your treatment against the short-term drawbacks. If you conclude that your current treatment is not worth the drawbacks you should consult your doctor to see if there are alternative options for you.